A Spark
by psb123x
Summary: Tensions are high in Atlas. And without knowing who to trust, there's a question in the air of whether or not the right decisions are being made. But if one thing is clear to Oscar Pine, it's that he doesn't want his most recent regret to grow larger.


**Yang: **Licensed Huntresses staying in the academy dorms. Yeah, that certainly feels encouraging.

**Weiss: **Well it's not like they were going to let us stay in the faculty rooms. The General might want us to stay close to home base, but we're still not Atlas academy staff.

**Yang: **Yeah, I suppose you have a point there.

**Blake: **Besides, didn't your Uncle Qrow at one point play Video Games with you and Ruby _in your dorm_?

**Yang: **Ha-ha, yeah he did. Though now that we know what his Semblance is I am so calling him out for cheating. Am I right Ruby? ….Ruby?

**Ruby: **Huh? Oh, uh, sorry. I tuned out for a bit. What are we talking about.

**Weiss: **Ruby, are you okay? You've been pretty quiet and…..distracted pretty much the whole trip back from the coliseum.

**Ruby: **I…..*sigh* I'll be okay. I'm just….worried is all.

**Yang: **The secrets we have to keep from Ironwood and the risk involved with them getting to you?

**Ruby: **Yeah.

No one really knew what to say to Ruby in response to that.

**Ruby in her mind: **Looks like they're dropping it there. Thank Goodness. I'm too confused about all this to want to talk about it right now. I'm sure they're worried about Oscar just like I am but what am I supposed to say? I can't even figure out how to approach Oscar himself about this.

He's worried, and he has a right to be. Ozpin's lies have already caused him so much grief. And here I am wondering if I'm just as bad. Uncle Qrow made me feel a little better about it in the Coliseum. But….

**Pilot: **We've arrived. Welcome back to Atlas Academy.

**Ruby in her mind: **Well, here we are. I know I need to talk to Oscar about this. But I'm so nervous I feel like a schoolgirl asking her crush out without knowing what he'll say. *blush* Wait no! I didn't mean it like….UGHHHHHH why won't these thoughts go away?!

They've been creeping into my head for a few weeks now and I can't get them to stop! He's just my friend! And we all have more important things to worry about than silly romances anyway!

**Ironwood: **Welcome back everyone.

Ruby was cut from her thoughts by the generals greeting. Winter, Penny, and Oscar were there as well.

**Ironwood: **With today's mission complete, you can all unwind for now. Get some rest, you've all earned it.

As Ironwood said that last bit, he turned his head toward Oscar. And although the general had a smile on his face, Oscar turned away and didn't seem too pleased. Ruby looked at him with worry. But this wasn't the best place to talk. And if Ruby were to be honest with herself, she needed a moment to figure out how to approach this after all.

**Ruby: **Okay so uh, Oscar? I…..uh….how did your training go? No, no, that's too casual. Uh, *breathes* OscarI'msorryaboutlyingIjustdon'tknowif, No he'll freak out if I approach it like that. Ummmmmmmm…..So you've, gotten taller. That growth spurt makes you look handsome. *facepalm* Ugh, I'm a mess.

**Penny: **A mess? Are you alright Ruby?

**Ruby: **Oh! Hey Penny. I'm fine. Just trying to…..figure out the best way to go about something here.

**Penny: **Well from what you were saying it sounds like you're trying to figure out how to talk to Oscar about something. Why would that have you so on edg…..oh my gosh.

…..

…..

…..

**Ruby: **Um, Penny? You've been quiet for a creepy amount of time now. Is every…..

Ruby was cut off short as Penny grabbed her by the shoulders and started to shake her.

**Penny: **I'm so happy for you! I didn't know you had a crush on Oscar!

**Blushing Ruby: **What?! No! I don't! I just….uhhhhhh.

**Penny: **There is no need to be shy Ruby. They say denial is the first sign of liking someone after all.

**Ruby: **No. Penny you've got it all wrong. I don't….

**?: **Hey, uh, Ruby.

Ruby felt her heart freeze. She recognised that voice.

**Ruby: **Oh uh! Hey! Oscar! How, how long have you been standing there?

**Oscar: **Well, I just got here. There's something I want to talk to you about. But I didn't see that Penny was here. I can wait if you're in the middle of…

**Penny: **Oh no it is quite alright. Ruby and I had just finished talking.

**Oscar: **Oh. Well do you have a minute then Ruby?

**Ruby: **Uh, yeah! Sure! I'll be right behind you.

**Oscar: **Ok. Thank You.

Before Ruby went to catch up with Oscar, she breathed a huge sigh of relief.

**Penny: **Don't worry Ruby. I'll put together a list of the best Atlas restaurants for your first date. Oh I'm so excited for you!

Ruby tried to correct Penny again, but she was already skipping away in glee.

**Ruby in her mind: ***sigh* Well, better her than Yang or Uncle Qrow. I think?

Ruby put that behind her for the time being and walked towards Oscar. He was leading them somewhere a little less public which Ruby appreciated. It was now or never for that talk and Ruby was glad they would at least have some privacy.

**Oscar: **This should be good enough.

Oscar was just standing with his back turned to her. Ruby had a feeling he might be struggling to find the right words too.

**Ruby: **So, uh, how did your training with General Ironwood go?

Ruby felt like slamming her head into the wall. That was the first way to break the ice that she shot down for being a bad idea!

**Oscar: **Not well.

Oscar finally turned to Ruby as she started to look worried.

**Oscar: **I mean, sure it's a start on getting better at this whole fighting thing. But there were so many thoughts racing through my head. And they just keep coming.

Oscar was visibly distraught. Ruby was about to ask what was wrong, but her shock stopped her as she saw Oscar start to cry.

**Oscar: **Ruby, I'm sorry.

**Ruby: **Oscar.

**Oscar: **I won't be here forever. I don't know when Ozpin will take over for good. That scares me. And there have been so many times when others have taken their anger at Ozpin out on me. As if I'm nothing more than his vessel.

But you've been supporting me through all of that. And how do I show my gratitude? I accuse you of being just like this old, bastard wizard that won't get out of my head!

Oscar had slammed his fist into the wall at that last statement. Tears flowing more frequently. Ruby reached forward to put her hand on his shoulder.

**Ruby: **Oscar. It's okay.

**Oscar: **NO IT'S NOT! You've been in this much longer than I have. You're a huntress, a leader, and you always do everything in your power to protect people. I may not know if hiding things from Ironwood is the right call, but to think that you're the same as…

Oscar stopped mid-sentence as Ruby hugged him.

**Ruby: **It's okay. I don't hold it against you. How can I when I've been worried about the same thing?

**Oscar: **But Ruby. You're not…

**Ruby: **Ssh. I know that's not how you think of me. You're just scared that this might backfire. I am too. We all are. I don't know if this is the right decision either. And just because I have more experience doesn't mean you shouldn't question me. After everything you've been through you have every right to worry about the truth being hidden.

Oscar returned her embrace.

**Oscar: **Thank You.

**Ruby: **Is…...that everything?

**Oscar: **What do you mean?

**Ruby: **It's just, well, you're right that you've been put through a lot of grief because of Ozpin. My Uncle still hasn't even apologized for punching you. And, I'm sorry too. When Jaune lashed out at you I was so distracted with trying to call Qrow to figure out what to do that I didn't even ask if you were okay. I was so scared when you ran away.

**Oscar: **If…..if it makes you feel any better, you're a big part of why I decided to stay.

Ruby looked at him surprised.

**Oscar: **I won't deny that I had considered just giving up after Jaune's lash out. Salem can't be killed. Everything seemed hopeless. And I felt like I was just a burden to everyone.

But then I remembered when you told me why you're still fighting. And I thought about how you kept pressing on even after Jinn told us what Ozpin was hiding.

It was….inspiring. And it made me want to get better at fighting, and do everything I could to improve and be helpful to the team.

And I…..didn't like the thought of being separated from you.

**Ruby: **From me?

**Oscar: **Yeah. You've always supported me and saw me as my own person. You've been so kind, and caring. I'm so happy to call you my friend, and I didn't want to give that up.

Ruby smiled at Oscar's words.

**Ruby: **Thank You Oscar. I'm happy that you're my friend too.

**Oscar: **I'm…...still not sure if it's right to hide things from Ironwood. But if you think that now's not the right time, then you have my support.

**Ruby: **I'm happy to hear that. But I'm not immune to mistakes either you know.

Ruby said as she gave Oscar a quick boop on the nose.

**Ruby while ruffling Oscar's hair: **If you really think I'm doing something that will cause more harm than good. Then you'd better set me straight buster.

**Oscar Laughing: **Alright, Alright. I'll be sure to keep you in line if it comes to that.

**Ruby: **Good. Because if there's anything I need right now, it's a partner that I can trust.

Ruby and Oscar smiled at each other as Ruby stopped ruffling his hair.

**Oscar: **Thank You Ruby. I feel a lot better now.

**Ruby: **I'm glad. *yawns* It's getting late. I should probably clock out for the night.

**Oscar: **Yeah. I probably should too. Goodnight Ruby.

**Ruby: **Goodnight Oscar.

As they made their way back to their separate dorms, Ruby found herself unconsciously staring at her finger. Once she caught on to that, she wondered why she was staring at it for a brief moment before she figured it out. That was the finger that she booped Oscar on the nose with. Exactly the same thing Nora did to Ren when she was trying to tell him "I love you" without actually saying it.

**Ruby in her mind while blushing and shaking her head: **No, no, not again! We're in the middle of a desperate fight to save the entire world!

Ruby looks at her finger again, smiles, and holds it close to her heart.

**Ruby in her mind: **Save the lovey-dovey stuff for later.


End file.
